Akebono - Lovely Tulips

Akebona double late tulip

The trees are green and the lake appears to be entirely thawed here in La Ronge.  The first of the tulips are in full bloom in my yard.  This lovely yellow tulip is a double late variety.  I planted this one from Botanus last fall.  I really like the fine red edge on the petals of this double-flowered tulip. Now I need to get out there and dig up the flowering dandelions in my flowerbeds!  

Akebono double late tulips (yellow).

Grass Growing Through my Bulbs

Have you ever had your grass grow right through your bulbs?  I found a few cases on the net, as some bulbs are quite soft and easily penetrated by aggressive roots.   

I was pulling grass out of the flower bed, where it intermingles (lurks?) with the early spring bulbs.  It is particularly maddening where it grows along with the grape hyacinths (Muscari), because the lawn grass leaves look similar to the grassy grape hyacinth leaves.  I dug out a handful of weeds and grape hyacinths and attempted to separate the two by examining the roots.

Attached roots of grass (right) and two muscari bulbs (center)

This was going well until I found a root that grew BOTH grape hyacinths AND grass.  What monster was this?  These poor young bulbs can't possibly thrive in this situation.

Muscari bulbs move along root like beads on a string

I guess this is a lesson on why to keep weeds (or any invasive/spreading plant) away from bulbs.  I've read that this is also true for lily bulbs. 

Muscari bulbs pulled off grass root

Note holes in the bulbs

Pulsatilla vulgaris

I plan to collect seeds from my collection of multiple shapes and colors of Pulsatilla vulgaris.  These are quite similar in appearance to Pulsatilla patens, which grows wild over many areas of northern Europe and North Americal  They are quite drought-tolerant once established.  They will drop seed and make new plants fairly often.  Mine grow well on a sunny, dry slope. 

It was a beautiful day today.  Float planes were out this past week and the thin layer of lake ice is looking like its time is short.  Ducks have paired off and are waddling around the marshes, while we are seeing the first of the flying insects. 

The raised bed is waiting for the rest of the perennials to appear

My three year old was probably trying to tell about the insects today when she said she saw "something in the air, but it wasn't even a vampire bat, it was just a little flying creature".  Rest assured that there are no vampire bats in La Ronge, but the blackflies and mosquitoes are comparable pests in my opinion.

Daffodils in the garden today

 

Control of Powdery Mildew and Early Spring Blooms

La Ronge lake ice May 14

The John Deer heavy-duty wagon has been wheeling around the yard, moving the heavy pots, compost, and potting soil, and sometimes children.  It finally feels and even smells like spring, though it started to rain this evening.  However, that will help the newly planted seeds in the flower beds and vegetable garden.  The frogs are orchestrating a wall of sound from the nearby marshes and I heard the honk of a solitary duck this afternoon.  Soon, we will stock up on bug spray, the "perfume of northern gardeners", and the children will look like they were struck with a pox virus.

May 14: My first daffodils

 My first daffodils are growing in a raised bed with afternoon shade, so they were probably late compared to others in town.  These ones also seem to have stubby stems, but at least the wind and rain are unlikely to bother them!

Alpine garden - waiting for blooms

Pushkinia libanotica, a spring-blooming bulb

Eranthis hyemalis

 The Eranthis is probably the smallest plant in the yard.  Frankly, no one but me would notice them.  I took the super-close picture just to document its existence.  Each little flower and stem is about the size of the the very end of my little finger.

In the indoors garden, I finally discovered the magic potion for getting rid of powdery mildew problems!  Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that shows up as tiny black spots on leaves, followed by weakening and death of the plant if all the leaves become affected.  The best part is that it's nearly free.  I read about the milk and baking soda solution and was doubtful, but it worked.  I used 1 part milk (1/4 c. in my case) and 3 parts water (3/4 c.) with less than a teaspoon (around 4 mL) of baking soda.  I sprayed this on the leaves every few days and the solution seems to make all the unaffected leaves resistant to the mildew, but does not eradicate the existing mildew on the older leaves (which can be cut off).  I sprayed this solution when I noticed only 1 or 2 affected leaves on the plant and now the plants have many sets of new and unaffected leaves.  I kept the stuff in the refrigerator for the first few weeks, but will probably toss it and make some fresh stuff if I need it again.